Airport extreme routing wired connection to wireless router

I'm trying to setup an Airport extreme to serve a single function: Route data through a wired ethernet cable to and from linksys wireless router that's connected to the Internet. The airport extreme needs to connect wirelessly to the linksys router.

Here's what the setup looks like:

I've tried combinations of "join a wireless network", "extend a wireless network", bridge mode, etc... but I can't figure it out. As I said at the start the Airport purely has to route between the PS3 and the wireless router, nothing else. It doesn't need to allow any other devices to connect to it.

The reason I'm going for a wired connection from the PS3 is that it's Wifi is atrocious and the only way I've gotten decent speed out of it is with a wired connection.

Staff Member

Here is your problem. What you are trying to do is use a protocol called wireless distribution system (WDS) to extend the network wirelessly. The Airport Extreme supports this feature but your E1200 does not.

You will need to buy a router to replace the Linksys that does support WDS. I have found WDS works best among routers of the same brand. My suggestion would be to move the Airport Extreme where you have the Linksys now, then get an Apple Airport Express to extend with WDS.

Here is your problem. What you are trying to do is use a protocol called wireless distribution system (WDS) to extend the network wirelessly. The Airport Extreme supports this feature but your E1200 does not.

You will need to buy a router to replace the Linksys that does support WDS. I have found WDS works best among routers of the same brand. My suggestion would be to move the Airport Extreme where you have the Linksys now, then get an Apple Airport Express to extend with WDS.

Thanks, you put me on the right path. To resolve the issue of the E1200 not supporting WDS, I flashed it with DD-WRT. I got WDS working but for some reason the wired connection was running slow. So instead I switched the Airport Extreme to be the box connected to the internet and the Linksys to be the one accepting the wired connection. I then changed the Linksys to operate in "Repeater Bridge" mode rather than WDS. And I have it connecting wirelessly to the Airport. Now it's all working quickly.

Staff Member

It's an ADSL modem, with ethernet cable routing, but it isnt a wireless router. Does that make sense?

Click to expand...

Usually a stand alone ADSL modem (that does not have DHCP routing functionality built in) will not be able to run multiple devices. If you are able to run the AppleTV, plus other devices at the same time, either that DSL modem has a router built in or one of the Apple devices is not in bridge mode.

Can you post the brand and model number of the DSL modem? Usually a search for that model number will find a page with the tech specs.

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